If a hotel room cost two hundred bucks, that’s a hundred bucks per person, because hotels assume two people are sharing the room.

But if you’re not a couple and are traveling alone, you’re still paying $200.00, which amounts to a penalty for single travelers since they’re paying a two people rate.

Worse, some hotels, cruise ships and resorts actually charge a Single Supplement fee, which can be as high as 150% of the rack rate.

Hotels and cruise ships don’t give single travelers a price break because that cuts into their revenues, and so the single traveler continues to exist as a second-class citizen in the travel world.

The policy has frustrated many of the 18.9 million singles, about a third of all travelers.

Some travel agents create itineraries for singles, bringing them together for trips. But the results are mixed

Some don’t mind traveling and sharing a room with another single, of the same sex that is.

Others do.

According to TravelMole, an on-line news source, some travel industry officials justify their single-supplement policy by saying that a room rate is a room rate and since they can’t sell a half room, they feel no obligation to cut solo travelers a break.

Shame on them! We think the industry can do better.

Some places offer a reduced rate for singles, but they’re frequently inferior rooms.

Some companies like Kathy Sudeikis’ relations at All About Travel, does her best in steering clients toward Solo Travel-sensitive tours.

Noah may have had it right. But unless you’re on an ark, traveling in pairs shouldn’t have to be the only way to go.